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Re-eligibility ef the President. 


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eiii©ri I)rsi //Innn : f ftoisuvo'jq turn -lehn •■. I 

; ,Tbe House having met for debate as in Committee 
■ r of ■theiWhele onthe.state of the Union— 

rr! "Mr. DONNAN said: 

torooftsiT oni . x" ■r^rvj-;*r fine mitten io I 

: Mr. Speakei t Since the organization of 
: the present Congress several propositions 
. have been submitted in one or both Houses 
j-fkry additional amendments to the Constitu¬ 
tion iof the: United States. To the one. favdr- 
. iog shell change; as will render the Executive 
- ineligible; for a second term of office, J desire 
for a few minutes to call the attention of 
, the House. <> i ■- ; ■ - odj :■ no.-n :;v 

-i>• -Jtiis not strange, Mr. Speaker, that the eveJr- 
’ expanding area, the evet-increasing popula¬ 
tion, the ever-progressing civilization, and 
the ever-changing circumstances of a Repub¬ 
lic, like opr, own, have, from time to time, 
.prompted her people to ingraft amendments 
v ppon the fundamental law of Government 
.^uitdd to such changed circumstances and 
.relations. It is not strange that the, complete 
overthrow of the recent attempt to tear asun¬ 
der our grand Union of States, and to build 
npop its ruius and within its limits another 
government with the avowed object and for 
the, especial purpose of protecting and perpetu¬ 
ating the odious system of human bondage) has 
/resulted, through sense of justice and, proper 
Appreciation of the long-since declared prjn- 
. ciples pf American freedom, in prompting, yes, 
in , impelling, the statesmen to suggest,,and 
the citizens of this country to adopt, such con¬ 
stitutional amendments as recognize, the npf- 
yersality of human rights, and guaranty] (4*) 
/those millions of our people thus uplifted from 
the darkness of serfdom into the sunlight, of 
citizenship the full enjoyment of all those 
precious rights secured to us in the formation 
of this Government, and for the establishment 
and maintenance of which we justly do ftoft 
cease to revere the wisdom and to laud the 


he. (It is not strange f thoroughly,earnest, 
thinking men believe tiu , still other pi5o.visi:0»ns 
of the Constitution may /et b€),s.o amended .as 
will render, mpre. hatitfcy.rtious, tnoge;.perfect, 
the working of ,opr .w^ole system >of govern- 

ment. .Jnorrnvfhi'itoo3o 

While we do not forget that religion I the 
most precious of interests, haa more 
sought proselytes by hre rather 'than hy the 
perauasive- teachings of the Saviour,), and, that 
politics, next in value, as,emfracing;the ,t§fp- 
poral well-being and hupp,ipen^ pf-^lappyis 
oftentimes nonrishedo by prejudipOiaod 
sion rather than by appeals to the ; hotter jiadk 
ment, and that paftjpular measures-are npt 
unfrequently urged witf sinister or selfisb.oods 
in view, yet. let us believe that the ,qo^der- 
ation.of this amendment:is,pressed, not.at,ftll 
fecau.se of the present .peculiar junejMfirOrj^f 
political utFuirs; not at all because ihegflipj»e 
those sufficiently illiberal to suggest thnt-eithor 
of those, zealous advocates of the 4i one-teim 
principle,’’ the philosopher of the Senate, off 
the press, or of th& rostrum, would not abso¬ 
lutely refuse to serve for a single term pniy, as 
President, if the people should insist upon i^l 
Rather let us infer that it arises ..from, the fe§t 
of motives, a sincere desire for the mpst judi¬ 
cious organization of the executive power, and 
that to prohibit,,the reelection of that officer 
would, attain the proposed object, 

1; QUESTION STATBD. C.niij ,;t t 

The puflic inind is sensitive to. proposed 
changes of organic lawn, Eager to approve 
and adopt any amendment,which enlarges the 
rights and privileges of the ! great ..body of: the 
people, it is equally timiffi, jealousy and;;pus- 
picious of any proposition an examination of 
which justifie$ the belief that its adoption 
would practically result in the deprivation of 
any just right already enjoyed, by them, or ifi 


t: IN THE HOUSE OP RBPKE S E NT A TI V E S, M A R C H 16, 1,8^ 


o , - ;o 


'! ‘ 109, 


old ,0'iwc 




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‘in ,8‘ ir.iyy. V vni: ■liibnn y ovolndv/ 


too 
rad 

ft ^ • J t 7 IJ i i V J ill I \‘f 

patriotic devotion <>f>>th,e ^athersiof* the Rep^ib 
























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2) LZ 


.Jnsijfeo'i 4 ! oil) 18 y){Ii(fisil9-9H 


the restriction of a privilege to which, through 
time and experience, the people may have 
become accustomed and attached. To my 
mind this is conclusively substantiald r l^y ,tbe 
action of the different States in 
revisions of their respective State constitu¬ 
tions, as also by their action upon the amend¬ 
ments of the Federal Constitution which have 
en befit^foUe/su}pb\it|6iTfor ratification. To 
-chS sMhd^rd |f liberality in-thought, } in 
pee#bf aodUwakfcicwf haw the fcitfte^ns of 4»fs>- 
country attained, however, in these closing 
years of our first century of natiog|h^exiBjfen^e,i 
that any proposition put forth professedly as 
fV>rngans x>£ fortifying yhis r pdifme ,af .liberty. 
iredrSa and preserved kt ’shell 'naihdleds ex¬ 
pense of treasure, blood*, and life, will receive 
ready attention, and candid, if not favorable, 
consideration. -With this professed, purpose 
comes this proposed amendment to place a 
ban in the Constitution against any retention 
whatever, tinker any circumstance^, of the 
v Executive)°b< odd; & single tei*m df office^ 
- 1 which w I T rWd in 'Seine measure to r efftCi- 
datb^ 'tsln^l: 4 ’ in afeC&r&'with the spirit of wir 
phst history 'Pol advdiVtagebus to a more ste.My 
f' atid fai$M'ai eTmihistrat-ioft of : phblic affairs| 
••nbr at all ttec^tsary'to 'the continued'security 
of constitutional government. ..teotii 

5 Pro >ablv ih^gertri of political parties iti this 
’ rteam'T whs developed in Jefferson and Ham- 
'‘ifton. 1 om not question that the cause Of 
"fitee government, to which they alike had 
' devoted'So much'Of their 1 labdr and eare!,\v&s 
2•equally dear to them; but they early took 
different viewy of the dangers by which 
’ifWay'itJ'fhe futdre likely to be assailed. The 
fOrMet feared ift thb’ 'possible- degeneracy df 
' feature generations a retutn to aristocracy j arid 
monarchy, a fofih of governnient which dxjife- 
‘riebce had taught‘hihi *lfi>ORWi#My td° dCteSt. 
=Thh latteri.drehded ithrough weakness of civil 
^atithdrity Tlfe prospect 1 of ‘the dissblbtion of 
Order and the disintegration of the Rephbli6. 

Possiblv'both of them magnified tbeYr arm re- 


Possibly’both of them magnified theft* appre 
ifeeiisteyrrs ; yet it?ie quite likelyitheir very ahkiety 
foV the existence of our governmental fabric, 
while it gave proof of their sincerity’ apd ^eh), 
nhiay f aleo'by reciprocal aCtioin^fiave ekshtitihiily 
j Chh tribli ted* fa' its preservaflbbl 1 'T’ 1 ' 

■' These crhi'neht &hd''primitive ^tatekttiefi IdF 
eeahtry <vdre prototyped wf .rhdividhhfd- hfiti 
"bf parties.' ITieeameWppreh^d^ohbhiaVe'beeh j 

entertained byIh^keSt/TpSftid^fid^-iadn 1 ; fVorh 
that time to theTpresentrea’Amd although ourj 
imerorapent history may, hn&duoniyr^dg^ent j 
•mu atqi logically 4h o i cogclu Jtom "that-' thej 

greater dhngdokbwc^^utlsCfttitky'ps^lleis) largely 
ddi rfeiaKatib & ofgi uofesshry autliewjyl,) i&&4 Jcori>- 
-sequtenfe hmetmyafilef ;cb nfekhi o po aJMd 1 tauarc hyi, 
yetnSi do ! aiatxmwr q<abfi*iott>’Jti^t somex# the 
diatqidefos wffthterirfiich the 1 * flails Of'Congress 
resounds againstr real or imaiginary tyccumu- 
dationfa of ,pp.tw«i#ge, - cpncetttratlpb of polit¬ 


ical power, centralization of government, and 
assumpt ion of dictatorial authority on the part 
of the Executive, may arise not wholly from 
atfdphy,fche r partisan acerbity or from personal vindic- 
fhle vaTipusL.: tivenbas and animosity, but at least partially, 
let us hope largely, from apprehensions of 
which I have spoken, and from a laudable and 
earnest desire' for the best possible govern- 

iHF J IT \JT . T/Lnl 

The, donetjtution went into Off pt ok the 
4fh ttf WferCh* lr89. there ltaS wisely jnaced 
^mopg its provisions an alternative method 
of securing amendments to that Constitution, 
namely: 

^TThe' Congress’, yhenevflfr JtWo [ thHrdis 61 l>oth 
Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose 
amendments, or, on the application of the Legis¬ 
latures of two thirds of the several States, shall 
call a convention for proposing amendments, which, 
in either ease, shall be valid as part of this Consti¬ 
tution when ratified by the Legislatures of three 
fourths of the several States,” &c, 

Under this provision fifteen amendments 

have been made, one of which related ftriUhe 
Executive—only, however,l&the mwhhetib'flfes 
election—which was added -Uv 1804, f The (terra 
of service and reeligibility of the President 
have therefore remained, unchanged-fein-eft. the 
formation of the Uovernment; Tlaat thfe waht 
oi itdie present proposed’ limitation (Jbatx/znbt 
been seriously or practicaMyi felt tin oIim: palst 
history appears evident from thJe rketotkat ll 
discover but one pnoposition )subthitiednwhioh 
reached a final alfirtnaitivejvote in eithieh House 
of Congress from, the time ofithei Federal Gob- 
vention to the assembling of this-ddofi^resB, 
•that in 1826, and the ame mime at then Ipro- 
posed wajs that n^> person should be elected 
President a third ; time. q-*i -vo eiii ,noiJ 

«■ ^GTf0It>04i> VS?W?-RAt, 9dt 

If, however, this^question bf liniffthtfhkfof^e 
Exetmtive to a single term 
paratively new at this date, it 1 ^ nb£ 
means unknown to our history. THe ‘or'^hh- 
izatien of' ‘the' executive • deparirnefilf'Clm^d 
more agitatidn in the Federal' CoiVv^iitibh'^ifid 
in the conventions of somy of thb Stat‘hi < hafF18d 
to consider the adoption Of : th C t prbp6SCd'- 
stitulieiq'fhan perhaps atiy otfeei? si^j^WiflSh 
-bathe beffire' 'them. 

Ubr red'upon that officer; ’the len«6f ; fi^'^ffi. 
'Ciftl -tjerth,; With and Wti^ou.t kti‘ r {o 

■Sfifijfeeqheht tevmrms cgLeblioiP Wddi^dW^fir 
( toi4nfedi^tedy bytfheipedpiie^ :; kiM :i hS 
Ofldnfdab^. 6he ‘datfidhaUEygi^rW 1 W^g^uFlV 
dadl ca^ethMy ‘bdtftiderSd- TWifl m 
-f^Ucftrthgs^wa^tS^ ff ■' the-' 

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11 it ' 


■mm ima. 


On June 1; 1787; Governor Randolph intro- 

itlAll tKol ikfi njt'hrtnn I hlxr. 




ffifobd a resolution that the national 
tiye be chosen by the Legislature 
of~ i - t —^jrehrs; to beiueligiblea Secbnd time, $e. | 

ybaRs, 


THh Jrefrb whs fixed at seven years, and the 1 



ineligibility clause and the rfiode o,£ appoint¬ 
ment'were adopted, and the consideration or \ 
other 1 clauSes'of the resolution was postponed. j 

( On the 15th of June Mr. Patterson submit:! 
ted a simitar proposition in connection witfi 
sfereRal btheRs, which, on motibn of Mr. Madi-' 
son,' w'^Re referred to a Committee Of the 
Whole House. 

.Three, days later, Mr. Hamilton submitted " 
a plan of government which‘included a PrC?‘- 
deht' to be Elected by electors chosen by the 
people, tb serve during good behavior, with 
functions simitar tb those nbw devolved upon 
the Executive, 

Ofi the! next day thereafter Mr. Gorham sub¬ 
mitted Mr. Randolph’s resolution, as altered 
and ainended in the Committee of the Whole 
Hbuke, which report provided for an E'xecu- 
tkb to* consist of a single person, to be ehosbn 
by 1 the national Legislature for the term of 
seVeh years, to be ineligible a second time. 
This Resolution came up for consideration on 
the 17th of July, when it was moved to strike 
out the words ‘‘national Legislature” and 
insert “tlie ciUzens of the United'States,” 
thhs rendering the Executive independent of 
Congress and elective by the people ; but the 
motion whs defeated. 'It was then moved^to 
agree to the words “ to be ineligible a second 
tune;” which was carried by a majority of two, 
counting by States. A motion was then made 
tO Strike out the words “seven years;” which 
was defeated. It was then agreed to recon* 
sider the clause relating to ineligibility a sec¬ 
ond timb. 

On the 19th of the Same month, on motion 
of ’Mr. Ellsworth, the mode of seleetioti ^vas 
changed, so as to render the Executive 
“ chosen by electors appointed for that pur¬ 
pose.” It was directly afterward' moved to 
restore the words “to be ineligible a second 
term,” and it was defeated, only two States 
voting affirmatively. ' 

Oh the 25th of July, Mr. Pinkney moved 
that ho person be capable of holding the office 
of President more than six in any twelve 
years, which was defeated. On the next day 
the Committee of the Whole agreed to report 
to the Convention the whole resolution insti¬ 
tuting an Executive, to consist of a single 
person chosen by Congress for a term of 
seven years, ineligible a second term, and it 
was on the same day so reported to the Cdn- 


’ This and other resolutions were referred-to 
a committee consisting of Rutlbdge, Randolph; 
Gprham, Ellsworth, and Wilsbri, who, on the 
Oth of August, reported a draft of a.Cohstitu LJ 
tion, one of the provisions of which was that 


yeats; 

e ti gi b l e a' s e r bb h d tfth'e'.^ * 

On tlie 81st Of AhJ6sfptliis,'with other jfcarfcs--. 
of the Constitution,-was Referred to -a, commit-0 
tee consisting of one member from each State. 

On the 4th day of September^ Mr. Breasly, 
from that committee^ reported alterations and - 
amendments, among which was oiio removing 
the election of the Preskletitlfrom 1 the national 
Legislature, and providing for such election 
indirectly by the people, fixing his -terra of 
office at four years, and without any limitation.! 
whatever as to reeligibility. On the next day 
an effort was made to substitute an Executive 
elected by joint ballot <jf the Legislature for 
( the term of seven years, not to be elected a 
^second time. It was largely negatived, only 
two States voting favorably^ and one divided, 
[’his appears to have been the last effort mad 
in the Convention in favor of limitation to aj 
single term, i >vno ) 

When the Cotvsti'ution was subm itted for rati¬ 
fication to conventions of the several States, 
ome of them saw this question warmiy dis -5 
cussed, and the conventions of Virginia anti 
N5hb Carolina proposed amendments that no 
person should be capable of being President 
more than eight years in sixteen ; and that of 
New York proposed that no person should be 
elected President a third time. But the article 
of the Constitution was ratified with out amend¬ 
ment; and has remained'unchanged except ag 
to the mode of election above referred to. 

A careful examination of the proceedings'; 
of the Federal Convention must, I think, con¬ 
vince almost anyone that the original idea of , 
many, probably of a majority of its members, 
was to create an executive department, with 
the power 4 of selecting its officer vested in the 
legislative department. The limitation to a 
single term followed as a natural if not an 
almost inevitable consequence, as a necessary 
means of preventing, through improper motives' 
on the part of Congress, the promotion of un¬ 
worthy men to this most responsible station ; 
as well, also, the danger on; the part of the 
Executive of accomplishing reappointment 
through subserviency and intrigue.: : 

The anticipated and evident bviik of this sys¬ 
tem caused it to be finally abandoned, although 
it had been twice adopted by the Convention. 
Gradually the idea of trusting the election of 
this highest bffiohrof the Republic to the peo¬ 
ple gained grouhd, until it was adopted by a 
decisive vote bf the Convention. No subset 
quent effort was made to render a President 
elected by the people for four years ineligible 
foR a’second term r and the only attempt to. 
{reach the limitation ton single term was by 
{proposing the-longer term of seven years, and 
as a noticeable faCt'linked with it was a rbtucn 
to a President appointed by Congress. Those, i 

























4: 


I 





therefore- who' would compel a change of .ad¬ 
ministration every four years, no matter what 
the, circumstances or what the desire of the 
people, find little encouragement for their pro¬ 
posed innovation from the opinions of the 
framers of our Government. , 

ACTION OP THE STATES. 

It may not be amiss, sir, to call attention 
fdr a few moments to the history of the differ¬ 
ent States of‘the Union, touching this ques¬ 
tion, as developed by their action relative to 
their own more immediate Executives, the 
Governors of the States. At the time of the.' 
adoption of the Constitution, in a majority -of 
the original thirteen States, the period was 
limited in which the State Executive could 
hold office; and in at least five of the thirteen 
States that officer wqs elected by the State 
Legislature. That this pratice, in so large a 
number of the States, had much to do with the 
proposition of a national Executive chosen by 
Congress, in 1 e early history of the Federal 
Convention, may be readily conceived. This 
Fmifcat-ior, howt er little occasion they had 
found fo” its use, was deemed salutary in prin¬ 
ciple and safe a a practice. So recently sepa¬ 
rated'from a Government wlvere hereditary 
succession obtained, it. is not strange if the 
principle 6f>a different succession were almost' 
irresistible. • : h ui high* cik i y, i; 

'Bat* what, sir,'has been the action of the 
States in this regard since that timey? At thfe 
present time there is not a single State among 
the entir.- thirty-seven which does, not com¬ 
mit the election of her Executive to the people, 
There arc* but few which deprive the Exec¬ 
utive.' of a'second :or third term, and .twenty-, 
s'x of them, or more than two thirds of the 
entire number, have no restrictions whatever 
ae to the reeligibility of this officer. Of the 
S-tafes which- originally made their Governor 
ineligible 1 after a first, second, or third term, 
and whidh have revised their constitutions 
within- the last twenty-five years, nine ofithem 
nave removed (his li mi nation clause. Of the 
thirteen States which have been admitted to 
the 1 Union since the admission of Missouri, 
not one of them has any limitation of, eligi¬ 
bility to the executive office, save Oregon, 
which was admitted fifteen years since, >and 
lias not revised j her •oopstitktipu sin^e., L she 
came-into .theiGniohic • [. . -i icf o.j u by rryj 

Thnshas the recQmmreudajfipp^f ihoSbiPra-f 
dfcutcaiud able' ;men who t$rau!$d. rjtbeilfkbd^i > 
rmnhal flaw for thpJhfebtj rtffcbi 

l#ant followed by the people (through.(eighty,*-, 
seven interveninguyeargji varied d>yv general], 
xmosperitjr and by public distress,, ;by ,peaGep 
and foT war, ;; by eeCtfoha<li : a|iimoefhyMpDd 
raostubittet'; political *c0mP]f>t*ojif% wi'th. cpn-p; 
p«fativelyi;M))t.hihg: of (dissent; jdissafisfacn-j 
tiwae; frot jfias ;been • approved,yVfith,,a eqn*, 
timialiy advancing seiitiipeWt/foward unanimity 
the Separate sorereign: States.- foiavxH . 


r-iy'-’i'j ' [, BERMISSJfU,E, HEKI.BCTION. | i<() m 

Jt has been urged ,by the claimants fpr no . 
reelection that a great fundamental principle : 
in republicanism is sapped by election of;,-, 
the President without compulsory rotation)' 
attached ; that the inevitable tendency of; 
reeligible Executives would lead to au elective 
monarchy, and thence to an hereditary, one. 

It was said, if rotation is not absolutely re¬ 
quired, the President once elected will. be,} 
reelected time after time, and will be continued;, 
in office for life. , But what has .been our 
perience in this respect? Have" these appj-.e-/ 
hensions been confirmed ?;., Have, (Hey npt 
rather been shown wholly groundless? XVitL n 
seventeen years of , the future still requj^ife,^’ 
complete our first century under the Oonstituf. 
tion, we have seen not one, or two, but eight¬ 
een different Presidents in occupancy of 'the 
executive chair, ; .Six of those have $Tied that 
high station a second time. Others of them 
have sought p reelectfon wifb aH the pofitiqal 
applianpqft known to their times and parties? 
but .thfq .people- in their absolute right’,, and 
sovereign choice; have preferred a change ot. i 
men or [measures.. None of the whole list of, 
Presidents have, been elected a third time, 
nor has one of them.; ever sought for s,ugh 
election. . ■ ; j ( ;o 

’ Nor dp J bel^evqj jthjat danger to aur free 
institutions, if com,e it ever does, from the 
executive department, wijl,, ; i?e hastened or 
induced by ; the maintenance of the principle 
of permissible reelecliop at the hands, of the" 
people,, ,1 know not,but,somewhere, far down’,’ 
the vista of-tja# coming ages, stands a future, 

( -no to mourn the Lofeft of liberty to America.’ 
If that sad event is in store for our posterity, 
and is to be accomplished by some individual 
who shall use the influence, the patronage; amd, 
the political power.ofthe presidential offipe 
to overturn our governmental fabric and esuib-, 
fifth beneath this., Libertjrsurmoqnted dome 
a. royal throne and scepter, 1 ask gentlemen 
to. consider,f,from experience and from 
j their knowledge of the incentives to human 
I action, whether jve shjili be,likely to fjnd t^sjt 
execrable personage in on # e who is permq.fed 
to prqmde ovev Thqj|ra^|lest nation uppn jffie 
face of the eartj^’j^p, long as he merits “and 
n^^^ns,f|ie*/supnori armf,cbnndence of i s 
people? ;0r (whether we should hot fid much' 
mqr^ likely, tp.find kinoi iq an-ambitions' P.^estV; 


uvuai uimuumii, s.eeiug pejqre nim only mev- 
it^b|e descent‘from that high cmIfflP 
cqnwlering that no measure of desert 
present, no confidence on the part 'of ‘ih&%£' L:7! 



pprsqnal 





















5 


ernraept we so greatly love and ,.so justly 

I revere? t 


' t ADVANTAGES OF EXPj&RIEINCfi. ■ '-j 

, Again, sir, it will be readily admitted that 
the duties pf the presidential office are equally 
if not more difficult than those of any other, 
office in the country. 

.-It follows that the same advantages are 
to be reaped from ability and experience 
in, this as in any other positionjof public: re¬ 
sponsibility. There is uo position of trust in 
•which the occupant may not prove faithless; 
do position of power which may notbei mis¬ 
used.; no place of emolument which may not 
be fijiade a source of corruption. There, is in 
my judgment, therefore, no-logical reason why. 
if it be wise to apply this limitation to. one 
‘office, ^ should not be. made to apply to all. 
Yet who now or ever has proposed such bar 
to reelections, for; positions less difficult and 
less important? Who of the people propose 
that they shall be denied the benefit of ability 
and experience gained by prior ocpupancy in 
places of public trust?. Or what legislator,iu 
state or natipn,.proposes*it; top them? Let 
me illustrate from my present surroundings. 

There have been and -there still are men 
whose voices have echoed from the walls of 
this Capitol who have made their services of 
incalculable value to the country as legislators. 
How was this- attained?,. All will; admit by 
Continued service. Suppose, limitation for the 
congressional office had. been obtained, (Tor it 
was also submitted by Mr. Randolph in the 
Federal ;Convention as one of the resolutions 
accompanying the one L have before referred 
tq r that members of; the national Legislature 
should be ineligible for a number of years,) 
should we ever have bad our Websters and 
Clays and Bentons and Crittendens,; whose 
tyords of wisdom so brightly illumine the pages 
of our legislative history? Or to speak of time 
present, let gentlemen; look around, them 
Here and tell ine who most leave their impress 
upon the legislation of the country to-day ? 
Whose counsel is .sought? Whose judgment 
is re lie/1 on in these questions,;; at once sqa 
intricate rod so important, which youhere eoni 
counter ? The men j ust frpm private station? 
Ah, no, sir. Theyj like he who now for the 
first time, addresses thisFfouse, are only tOQd 
wejl pleased ,to sit, at the; feel of pur legislative,^ 
■Gamaliels, and learn of. thqm the, difficult 
sops,, of .practical and prudent, Jegislatioi},,; 

wUieffij $§y have 4{ lafrgj41y.j attain ed,-; by 

eii do l iilf ©uo vino 

Imagine tbjs House, ^rom.Siieaker.to Dpleo 
gate, tp,pave been organized without a single]. 
tflember of the last or of any preceding Con¬ 
gress among the number; the next and;ajl 
succeeding Congresses composed,solely of new: i 
cpfn^s,,.with no ..past, experience, to ^isfrii's-i 
mr’ them. What hesitation, ill intricate but j 
necessary legislation, would ensue! What in- ! 


-—Ro¬ 




st ability and incongruity of laws voitld re rtlfcjl 
What lack of confidence byth4 people^ Wb'ulffi 

follow 11 \ ‘ iO h i w !: l ,v : -i . -If j :ii Ju9teq 
TENDENCY TO CHANGE OF OFFICERS. n*i<80 >0 

• - Do not understand me as^condemning FPta-f 
tiouiof official position, or of claiming’tKaSih# 
Executive naught too fee. reflected many 
or for life. :< Tbat *jealousy of power and ofthef 
influence of patronage, which has been sbTofrg' 
a distinguishing feature in. the American' chat 4 -? 
acter, gives quite a sufficient tendency toward? 
the displacement pf officers* especially so as 
tq the Executive. And we have accordingly 
seen in all our past history, sinpe. Waslyugri 
ton, no general desire manifested, by.the peqrf 
pie for the retention, beyond a second term,- 
of a single Chief Magistrate, no matter bow 
pure his conduct, how exalted hi^; political! 
virtues, or how unswerving hi.^integrity, p Why 
should we, therefore, fette- their.action’?GWe?: 
all concede that political-power is an inherent'-' 
right of the people. They se'ldomYerriin ieoh- 
ferring it.f When, therefore, any officer, (from 
a town magistrate to, a President, so acquits 
himself in fiis position a$ not only to justify; j 
thp selection, but also ".o prompt the desire .fiwn 
his retention, it is, and. ojght to remain/ifcbtti 
right and the privilege ot the. people to .reelect > 
him to such,office.: ■ / .n-Loe e nvo 

Does any one assent that those Presidents 
who have held tfeat position for eight years 
gave to the country administratiojn's less pure* 
less safe, dess promotive of peace, and pros- i 
perity than .those whom the people retired 
at the end of a single term ? Undeniably, I 
thiuk, history establishes the reverse. Gan, it 
be successfully disputed that the administra¬ 
tions of the rechosen Executives were<mjore». 
acceptable during thp second than during the ; 
first term,? r. ( ,Gprtainly pot. Wisely and tfell 
thp people have;hitherto discriminated in this 
matter, ff they, J; hkvp not reelected all the 
worthy Presidents, they havej at least, mever,} 
rechospn a bad one. I am not pf Those who:! 
believe.they are deteriorating!© intelligence^in • 
political virtue, or in their ability to judge,of 
the merits, and demerits pf.candidates, front,the i 
lowest to,,tiie ; highest. During ihis term ab 

President, from whateyjegi political party he., 
comes, is fulsomefoadu)ate.d fey*some . sharply,ri 
a^ofunkindly, qja^ifed.by. ofhers-o.f his party^ 
friends, vilified by his political enemies* but ii 
his .an4' a dtni u i®tDa.tive policy atfe mote 
fairly, yet, closely scrutinized hy Jffie peppier 
Be he wise as Jefferson, patriotic as Jack&pnffij 
oc pure as.^inq^life hp shall note escapfenthe 
abuse.of politicians ; 3 butt; he,may receive, Them 
plaudit ol wffil dpne, .good .and fftivhfoji Sfftoe 
vg'nh j *i from jusband appreciative peqple.i■ 0 q 

i 0 iTtMia>ATiON F/FFBCT'JVK I.N'WRONiG PlRBetftONJ OV/J 

j ,3o,;ieeg. ; thereasud- -.ieiBlySBcy dohgh &&wr 
Pypsijdenfi oinnntea.dso himself to 1 tlne> dodiiaojO 
i i it'.The faithful perfiprmaficeof publid dusty? anrii • 
fulfillment of public trust, does the probability 
















6 


remain cf his being rechosen for that position. 

f>pse4 amendment would thus-afiecV. 
cptjjtkpsie, who have shown, themselves incom¬ 
petent and unworthy, but would only raise a 
constitutional barrier against those Executives 
whftj-duriog their first term might so demoin- 
their capability'for this high trust, and 
theiriacceptabi 1 ity to the people, a» to produce 
a, tpairifes-t desire for their .continuance, and 
ivpoefeitbeir reelection probabiei The amend* 
montv if adopted* would be effective in pre- 
cfseiy.the wrong direction., • ? pp -ov e .tv-;; 

gA f>a 7! K : 'V " pATftOXAOBi : _ ! ' 

-Again', it was Originally urged as ad argU- 1 
meat iniavd-r of thisriimitution thdt it wduld 
be °cnecess4ry to a proper independence of 
action bri the part ! of the executive branch 
of ^oVernmeHt; Hamilton assures us in the 
Federalist; No'. 48 ! , that 1 - 1 "' '* 

'i'fhe ten.den'cit' df ’republican govern merits,is to 
a» dggr'ittdfeeiiian't of 'the legislative at the Expense 

- But U8t >now the argument is all reversed. 
We ar> assured that the Executive is- Entirely 
tooifdopehdevd-j that too muck pelitioal power 
is’-withajp <hli& control $- that through Improper 
usetof■ patri. aagea President tnuy operate on the 
of the'other departments,-may attain a 
dtusgfcvaits personal influence, may compass his 
own reelection. Accordingly, to remove any 
grotfrld of suspicion in this regard, we have 
recent enactments by which it ie intended the 
indtvid /al-will of this officer is to be suspended 
in their atterof a: rqo i n tme n ts, an d rec o hi toe n d - 
aJtioam tor 1 positions- by members : of Congress : 
also.he* deredihugatJOry. ' Lest this' tnay;fail to 
bet aon^pletely eflbctual; w© have'‘before dspro^; 
posedi legislation rendering it &n ( . unlawful 1 act 1 
1 is®wimembet‘Of- either ^anch of pbhgrfesstcri 
recommend 1 any person 'fibl appointment' t6‘ : 
civiLoffitee, and' another p'ropdsiribn Rf 1 Which 
the grdaib mass of Federal! 'officers’af ft' to i be : 
wholljfowilbdrawr from arty'appointing power 11 
and made elective by 1 the‘^peOple.^ While if is"' 
hardly possible that All improper hSe'frf pat- 1 
ronage caii : otr will 1 , be eliminated 1 ' froth'GdV-' 
ernment and from politics, yet these ' rheadS 
to which r haVe^efenred ' ttfiiTst ^mtiVe 1 abf j 
dangers^ real 'Op 'Siijbposedj in' thtevinefhbd of 1 
appointmpriti i ifi>thi&%e tfeO argumpnt'fe^iVst 1 
refelectidn, and the objeetidb US' Httra 'removed^ ■] 
why shall we then *> decree 1 / lihat 1 there: shh^l’ W.j 
no reelection ? Loi'-’in.-cf aid yd noddiv ,h iio-'il 

But; sir, has ; patrpnagep'its prbpet or im¬ 
proper use, beett the eause'cr meads’ o*f reeled* 1 

tions^ ojjl f-r, orioi'i ot | pioh-mim. sc 9fiw oil eel 

■ ^'During > -the*' first forty' ybArh' immediately' 
BuocfeediU^ iihe adoption' of" , th i e' CehsRfufiUh 1 
very3 llttftfi ‘nke waS H --’m&dp l Of -the apppipting'. 
power in A partisan sense ; ! yet during thirty* - 
two of. thosei forty: years rife©! executive office 
was filled' by Presidents; who were reelected. 
One fifth of that period' ottly was it filled by 
the two* Adamses, neither of whom were re* 


chosen. Then came the Democratic regime, 
whioh. inaugurated the ay stent of a'pptathting’ 
political friends of the Administration •tb the ( 
Federal offices] : This practice hhlp been fol¬ 
lowed more or less elosely by the I>OmpcrAtic, 
Whig, and Republican parties!, whdh in’power,.' 
Up to the presetittim©. 1 If thefead' usC Of phtrrtn J 
age elects Presidents, we- feidb' eertaipiy*fe»d 
splendid Opportunities to that it dUritig the Inter¬ 
vening forty-four years. I'will not ddnjr jth$t3 
Jacksdn may'have been' 1 thus Aided to a SeCond 
term, but from Jack SOU to the present tiittebUit 1 
one Only of the elevenPfibsiderttaffidv© ijetm te-' 
chosen f and who will shy that any 1 sp^t of cori v 
ruption was ever found on-LirlbolnA dfflCiafl gat-J 
;ments ? No, sir, it is 1 fidelity that wius.' 1 ' 'Grphti- 
, tudeto a -great and generous people, and a high 
sense of duty,'are strong cords whipli bind a. 
President to fidelity i'U the discharge Orhietrusi^ 
yet who that stops a moment to consider the 
springs of hutnati action Will not agree that 
should he desire to obtain a continuance df this 
highest honor among men, and D not debarred 
the hope, by legal prohibition, then will interest 
and ambition itself CorUbine to prompt him, 
not to corruptj but td faithful, honest, earnest' 
administration for the public benefit,' With' a’ 
sympathy which will seek 6i td enfdrcC po 

pdlieyl against the will of the people ? 7 f 7 

IU fe‘ 1 7 ! B.tncbTlV E a AD'SBNATE'. ( i'i J Hiuf 

• To addition;• tt> this, Sir, circumscribed hB iig 
the executive power,'less danger H ferinb'ea 
from'Hunauthorisied action on the partbf ! fllC ) 
President than front virtual control of 'that* 
offiCen'by the Other branch of the national 
Legislature 1 . Let- 'me briefly draw a dornpari- 
.sou between 'their respective powers. The' 
President ‘-is 'elected' for fdbr years ;’ is’ (^dm- 
manderiid-Chief of Army aWd' N'Uvy t ha^ the 
exclusive power of nominating Federal officers, 
but the concurrence'of the SOnate ts 'necessaty 
to their'appointment. He has the poWer to’ 
negotiate treaties, but two thirds' of the Setiilt^ 
is ndeeshary tO their ratification. He has a 
veto updn ! leg!Nation, but two t.'birdis of the ria- 
! t&nal Legislature may render that itioperative. 

-The Senate is elected for'six years; has the 
exclusive right'of tryingiiUpea'chUients/ except, 
in'easektf impeaChiUentof the President, when 
jtfiiO'CMef‘JA'Stibe'presides ; has equal power 
With the Other branch iri legislation; dkbept, 
iif'drigiuatihg revenue bill'^Y-has concurrent' 
power witli the President ! in appointment of 
pufylie oflioets, and the affirmative' vote of two 
third’s Of the number present is neces^aty to 
'render a treaty valid. • 1 £t is a permartenf body •' 
only one third of, its ipember^bip beitig liable 
to-change once in two years. Its rrilmhefs 
share largely in recommendations for appoint*."* 
nrents, and a majority Contribute equally with 
the'President ih conferring the ; patronage of ' 
the Government. 1 

The President is liable to impeachment, to - 
be tried by the Senate ; its members Ate not * 


Vi. 

















G 


liable to impeachment at all. The President' 
Sa'iresponsible to the great bodybfthe people'; 
<tbe5monk hers of the 8enate are reeprmsible only 
fto ttheir respective State ‘Legislatures;!jiet not 
subject to be recalled by‘ tho^e Legiala- 
^tures; The President mky form Our foreign 
^connections, yet a minonty of the Senate may 
'embarrass negotiations and control the validity 
■toLal 1)treaties with other nations;' ‘The Senate 
<ifc the superior power of the Constitution.' In 
that body are vested legislative, 11 executive, 
iwwfc judicial powers. Permanent in its char¬ 
set**, it will exert, its full'powers. In his His 1 - 
•tray Ghatdes V, Dr. Robertson affirms that 
n^hiikovy has famished- no instance of- a relin- 
-quishment of power by an organized body 
unless compelled-so to do by a foreign-force'.” 
’W-feat‘security has the country for the proper 
exetyise of these vast powers conferred upon 
*tbe. Senate ?i Little, beyond the personal Char- 
J^qter.of its members and such rules as it ipjay 
,fcdopt ; far its own honor and selfirespecjk 
. J,f jibasj not already been, a disposition to 
■^cohfcrjpl; t,ho • executive department, will be 
.jppr ; e lUkely to show itself from this direction 
j’rom any other. Now, imbed iu the 
jfundnwental law that the Executive, no mat- 

his l capabilities or his deserts, what 
/circumstances of the country, or yvhat the 
desires of the people, shall be a creature of a 
.single tew, thus decrease the inducements to 
good behavior, with a certain disinclination to 
jb^P-rd censure or perplexity through independ- 
f ent,exertiou of his proper powers ; how much 
.more easily might a predominant faction of 
4he Senate debase his fortitude and render 
jjhjfli pliant to their will ? Is it then strange 
dihat we see Senators, clothed with this vast 
.authority, and without limitation as to reeli- 
ifftbid&y themselves, occupying their seats in 
that body through consecutive reelections for 
nearly a quarter of a century, among the fore¬ 
most advocates of an unqualified retirement 
of the President at the end of a single term? 

STABILITY OP ADMINISTRATION. 

Little observation is necessary to convince 
one that in very many instances the successor 
seems to deem it the very best proof he can 
offer of his capability to undo so far as is possible 
what has been done by his predecessor. Whether 
it proceeds from a supposition that a dislike 
of the measures of the predecessor on the part 
of the constituency has wrought his own sub¬ 
stitution, and that a marked difference be¬ 
tween them will best commend himself to that 
constituency, or whether it proceeds from a 
seif-complaisant desire to give an individuality 
to his own administration of affairs, the result 
is the same. A continued change of officers 
results in change of measures. A stability of 
administrative measures is, therefore, hardly 
to be looked for if we continually vary the 
officer of that department. 

The present length of the presidential term 


affords a reasonable time he ween its coirf- 
m&nttembnt audelosb ‘fhb tib <p&foliid 
tfnize bnti carefully>edfesMen line eahubee 1 had 
administrative ‘policy bf theins-umb^nt. .olirit 
hhbtld frte'etPaPprbvWl' 1 and aTesirie /forbtlue 
oon!tiinuartcft"'Cf ; theearfie, why ebouidifcdiUftii 
tutionbl^exbluaiort'prevent it, f land subjeetvth^ 
country to undesired Change? oOn 
it seems to me itfae .wards) ofuHamilton are at 
once prudent ami full of jwiisdpm. fnH^ «ay9 in 
the iFederalist: <i 1 iw Unu nfiltiw mos lo Jn 9 tni 
JYiSVe noed nottibe anneehensive -thvrerwilhb«)#«* 



ii may bo aat’eily» placed, anfl where 

EXCLUSION DETRIMENTAL. 



seemed in dispePSaWh tftthe.TV b 7 l (? w 

m or eve ° ; t0 * l gpm?8t,eM 

S spinet,unes raised. i|Ps,as by Prpyidq^ 
.great emergency. L we -turn oackwatu 
but a few pages iu our history we #pd ft ^ 
where no man |an estima^ the, d^ 



nay, the dg,hgqr : j%s>t mU® ^aybr^ul 
this, pro posed amepdmpnt then'been. 1 
Who now fails to recpgul&e,, iu 
triumph which retained )\.. Lincoln in ..(he 
Presidency, a greater vie.*., ”>r qmynation^! 

unijy aftd.Jife than any Tjfttherto. acjiiey^d by 
:■ valorous brothers upon ,tm field of 




our 

D 3 S -j filn0 9V «fl BHiawimocn# 

The time may come $p Americ^.w^ep.Tjjp 
cannot afford to absolutely exclude’sonie par- 
ticular man, who'may have demonstrated r his 
ability and worth, from the executive service 
of the country. Let the indistinct speck, barely 
ob-ervaJW'u'pfm our political horizini M 
ward, deveidp into aii overshadowing, threat- 
emng iav ! cioiU. Satf' wl„v T* whiStf, 

the people of America would insta ntly taro 
with imploring‘4yes and confident hearts for 
a second deliverence from the terrible ordeal 
of war? How unwise, then, would be a con¬ 
stitutional provision which would prevent the 
people of this Republic from recalling to the 
highest station of public duty that man who 
might be in their opinion best suited to the 
exigencies and circumstances of the natiou. 

LIMITATION RECOGNIZED, 

If, sir, I have intimated that this proposed 
amendment has received no indorsement at 
all by any portion of the people of this coun¬ 
try, I must beg permission to correct it. It 
was one of the provisions of the constitution 
of that abortive government which happily 
sank into an early grave, “unwept, unhonored, 
and unsung.” In a confederacy sought to be 
established for the perpetuation of a system 
of involuntary servitude, which denied the 
rights of man to millions of the human racep 
it was eminently proper that its fundamental 















* / 












8 


-£fffeo r’l «ro'/w1yd ©ti'f) y hp;f’r>ii:07 j: ?bli f!n 

law a -mid also disable its people as toau.iuu-r 
restricted selection Ibf theifionyn chief ma&U: 
fixate. . Who regrets if vitfe ( fruitless attempt 
$*f tdoiuiiiiioB has succeeded /in ;; carrying ,with 
itself <upon a brief page of history a oonjpulr 
sdry one-termiPresidency as a distinctive fea¬ 
ture of if the lost cause ?’ Beib.obfl it 

&*i Off* i;<-iff: iiPOLirTICAL EFFECT; >f(f of fe*s;-*Of5 ti 

f d On© cannot fail to observe the manifest 
intent of some within and without these Halls 
who are urging the consideration r of this <sub- 

inability of success'‘p.f a 
cerfiaiu candidate m the approaching Itepub* 
licau-couventiou/ aTid in the ensuing presb 
dbbtial campaign. For myself, sir, recogniz¬ 
ing that this, amendment affects nht simply a 
oresent candidate or an immediate election, 
mut that if adopted it will affect parties, can- 
oldaies., campaigns’, and elections by the peo- 
jme.fvr the entire future of the Republic, I i 
imre intentioiially ‘left all indorsement and 
S^u'd . Ion of the present Administration, how¬ 
ever -veil deserved, to those who seem to con - 
pi it a most delectable thing to bask in the ' 
a'dniinistrative faVpr, ah'also all 
^ibhrci itrici'sth, t6 those who seem so sed- 
r hfbcsly' tO Chew the Chd of jehloiV4 discon- 
‘tifetii, 1 'hhd hay^ 'sought;’rkther, sdhc’erel/'dnd 
harn'cktfV‘ to 1 examine "this jfropbsi tiori in its : 
'dfc&pCr/.fiVoadci,''-h^gftet significance affect¬ 
ing ‘and durability 'of birr tVe : C 

and'the privileges bf the’pebple 1 . 



too 1 ;; yffi ob i' .Jff, Jr: tfmrn• hat tirei oi y<oHI 

duty to adopt- and propose it: to the several 
States.; I With careful consideration, I find no 
favorable response to either of these inquiries 
-when applied; toithis proposition. It is righ* 
to lay! the) hand of meformatioh upon a wise 
fabric of fundamental law when the experience 
of. the.past [unites) with the wisdom:of Hie pres¬ 
ent in -firm assurance, of a better and safer 
governmental guidance for the futum Then, 
and only then. tadt 

It is ourigood fortune, Mr. Speaker, to dsiflt 
under a Government! which uow> ip the maim, 
answers all the,great ends for Which Govern¬ 
ments were instituted. Within these latter 
years we can in truth speak of oUr. country as-rr 

“A great land of earth and stone and tree,c cif 
Where breathes po castled lord nor cabined 
slave; 

,s Where thoughts and tongues and hands afro free, ' 
And friends will find a welcome, foes a grave ;?* 

aland whose hills and valleys, twice redeemed 
by worthy sires and not' unworthy 'kon’s, are 
doubly consecrated- 'to liberty ; a land pos¬ 
sessed by -men who have proven thfeii* ability 
tb afoiderby and to enforce the vital principle 
of ! a republic— the will of the majority cotist?- 
tutiorially expressed'. They will not consent 
to hold their rights in charity, noh will they 
yield to any abridgment of them in nebd$6w 
fear; and they have more thau oude proven 
<that : they‘ will not surrender them tb fbrCO. 
l Wte enjoy, in fact, a well-regulated system of 
freedom, ; more perfect in its < ope ration s tliah 


Past amendments have enlarged those pxrV- | any which -has ever heretofore exited in the 

ilbges nCvfeF'abridged them. , WO rld 

-Tiin einoa ob.TjzoVemipedn or bn n Journo : v ! wn "* 


di ini£,amendment. be called for by the peo¬ 
ple Uv rnselves : if it be necessary for the eori- 
Vfiued securityr of Gbverbment; ‘if it be just 
Vo the officer rar\<]‘ tp the publicif it will Be 
^al\|tary incite permanent ppyration, it is our 

-jr ti :.try- ;:r 7 ^ -in -’zzi-in-rrr .-ixjiz.-. 


io\ aiiuod Jimhiinoo bun s 
ineb'io : idiroO e<(j moil ^oimevile 
-nob n ed olnov/ f nod .osiwriu v;ol 
silt Jnev fi| Liifdv il.b'ifw nor-'vo-^' 
od/ ot ^udluDOb itioi’i oildii(|pii h/J 


Confidence in the people has borate 
the Government : safely hitherto: No Back¬ 
ward step in withdrawal of that confident 
will render it 'more secure as the joy of the 
present, a rich legacy to^ill future generations, 
and* the continuing bow of promise 
nations of the earth aspiring to be free, d iedi 

' iibdf' 


Printed at theiCdogressional Globe OQce 


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